Discorso pronunciato dall’Italia alla Sessione Annuale del UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board —
Mr. President, M.me Executive Director,
We welcome the significant results contained in the Report of the Executive Director for 2018, and the excellent performance of UNFPA in mobilizing the highest level of revenue in history, thus joining the ranks of larger organizations in the UN system.
We highlight the outperforming on the targeted amount in core resources and the increased amount of contributions collected from the private sector. Italy has contributed to this outstanding result, increasing by 10% its core financial contribution to UNFPA in 2019.
Italy welcomes the progress made in implementing the common chapter of the strategic plan 2018-2021 of UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and UN Women, and the establishing of the inter-agency group responsible for managing the joint evaluation of the same common chapter.
In this regard, we continue to strongly encouraging inter-agencies cooperation, horizontal financial and operative integration, as well as increased joint planning and financing policy, in line with the QCPR recommendations and the common endeavor in the implementation of the SDGs.
We highly value the comprehensive Annual report on evaluation 2018 by the Evaluation Office and the finding that the majority of key performance indicators registered consistent overall progress. We expect though the percentage of reports assessed as ‘good’ or better to increase at the same level of 2017. We commend UNFPA and UNICEF evaluation offices for having jointly conducted an evaluation of the Joint Program on the Abandonment of FGM: Accelerating Change Phase I and II 2008-2017, and started an evaluation of the Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage 2016-2019. A longstanding partner in supporting those initiatives, Italy looks forward to continuing to play such a role.
Looking ahead, we praise the on-going work of UNFPA to close the unfinished business on ICPD Programme of Action and the achievement of related SDGs by 2030. In this perspective, we highly value the opportunity for Member States and other main stakeholders to accelerate ICPD@25 promises at the Nairobi Summit next November.
I thank you.
